PROPOSAL WITHDRAWN!!
🚨
PROPOSAL WITHDRAWN!! 🚨
Downtown @ Main St & Liberty St
*Actual scale may vary
Hear about the recent events and turmoil with the publisher of Sports Illustrated on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday hosted by Ayesha Roscoe:
When national news broke on 9/28/23 that an old Sports Magazine brand (now published by a local energy drink billionaire), the World’s Largest Timeshare Company, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (known for gaming), teamed up with the City of Ann Arbor to explore developing a new “Margaritaville” like Venture in the heart of Downtown Ann Arbor, it was a surprise to local residents…
In an unexpected twist, Ann Arbor City Hall was indeed in very “serious conversations” dating back to July 11, 2023, to bring the Magazine Resort and Timeshare Condo Complex to the publicly owned land know as the Kline Lot. Amidst local buzz and confusion, word of an "unsolicited proposal" surfaced – yet, “no deal” existed.
However; unbeknownst to residents, the City Administrator and his “team” had quietly helped craft a proposal over the course of months, and then shared it with Council in two “private meetings” for feedback on 9/25/23. This was done to avoid involving the public.
11 days prior to the private Council meetings, attorneys from both sides started discussing terms. The first term sheet is dated 9/25/23, and the opening offer from Sports Illustrated Resorts? $300,000,000 in City Bonds for a “Non-Profit” 501(c)(3) Hotel and Tax Breaks.
City council then voted on 10/16/23 with a super majority to continue the process as the term sheet continued to be negotiated. 14 days later, a FOIA released on 10/30/23 finally gave residents some insight into what was going on, but left many gaps. Another FOIA released on 12/5/24, and a few news reports helped fill in a few of the many gaps.
Residents now know how serious the conversations really were. A mutually agreed upon Term Sheet for $200,000,000 in Bonds for the Non-Profit Hotel and a Memo of Recommendation from City Administrator Dohoney sent to Council for review on 11/20/2022. Council spent nearly two hours in closed session discussing. Yet residents are still left wondering as the City had the site surveyed during the week before Thanksgiving and 12/21/23.
On 1/16/24 the City issued a press release announcing: An informational session is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers at Larcom City Hall for community members to learn about a potential Sports Illustrated (SI) Resorts to develop a sports-themed hotel and conference center on the city-owned Kline lot in Ann Arbor. Click here to read the release!
And Scroll ⬇️ To See The Timeline
“You Know This Drill” 🤨
Milton Dohoney to Odis Jones
Building massing* from a 9/6/23 work session with the A2 City Hall Team:
*Newer building renderings on Travel + Leisure show 2 additional floors added on top of the below massing.
Ashley & William St
*Current massing may vary
*Pages 1-48 missing
Before digging deeper into the 981 page partially redacted document, a brief introduction on how residents are already paying 💰 for this project…
may 23, 2023💸 - “As Much Cash as Possible”
Dohoney's Fiscal Flip: Proposes selling public properties, like the Kline Lot, veering away from the 2020 millage-approved affordable housing plans, towards cashing in on valuable assets.
Quote Me Maybe: Dohoney's bold statements, as reported by Ryan Stanton on MLive, "You want this thing to generate as much cash as possible. That’s why I did not say let’s use it for affordable housing, because that’s not going to get us where we’re trying to go with the project."
Council’s Unanimous Nod: Dohoney’s strategy passes 9-0 with no objections. Erica Briggs, D-5th Ward, said she was “excited and supportive of the proposal to build more housing and generate additional revenue without raising taxes.” Jenn Cornell, D-5th Ward, added “I don’t believe that Mr. Dohoney wants to carry a real estate project all on his own and without input.”
read More on: MLive, A2 FY 2024 BUDGETOCT 30, 2023👌 - Nothing To See Here…
Post-FOIA Perspectives: In the wake of a few FOIA revelations, Dohoney addresses concerns raised in another MLive article by Ryan Stanton emphasizing, “it’s not a factor in his consideration of the Sports Illustrated Resorts idea and the project team is being treated the same way he would treat any developer who came to him with an unsolicited development proposal.”
Reaffirming Transparency: “Dohoney and Jones both said they’ve openly disclosed their past professional connection in meetings about the project with other city officials, including when the concept was privately presented to City Council members on Sept. 25.”
Mayor's Support: “He and other council members were aware of Dohoney’s link to Jones when they voted earlier this month and he sees no problem with it. We hired Mr. Dohoney due to his vast experience, impeccable ethics and careful judgment,” Mayor Taylor comments.
A Vote To Nowhere: Resolution DC-8 introduced to the City Council Meeting Agenda an hour before, to enhance transparency around the project, specifically calling for an RFP requirement, fails to pass on Oct. 16, leaving questions about the project's openness, with most council members stating that they were only as informed as the public. All members praised Dohoney for his high marks. Those who brought forth the resolution said plans would move ahead with the status quo if the resolution failed. Term Sheets for Bonds were already being negotiated.
read More On: MLiveunknown, 2023☎️ - Dialing Up Development
The Pivotal Phone Call: As a result of a phone call from Odis Jones, Dohoney’s friend and former employee, mentee, and Economic Development Director of 3 years while serving as City Manager of Cincinnati, OH, he ends up receiving the “unsolicited proposal.” 🤔
read More on: ODIS JONES, Milton dohoney jr.“Let Me See What I Can Work Out”
Milton Dohoney to Odis Jones
TL:DR - The 981 page FOIA* document is a jumbled compilation of unorganized threaded emails, redundant info, undated randomly placed content, and more...
*A Freedom of Information Act document is a public disclosure of information which improves government oversight and accountability. It ensures that the public is informed about government activities. 🦅
Texts between Jones & Dohoney:
Texts between Jones & Dohoney:
Texts between Dohoney & Jones:
Texts between Jones & Dohoney:
To help organize the document, the info has been refactored with key events, dinners, meetings, and dates 🗓️ outlined for better user accessibility. Graphics, animations, and bold text has also been added for emphasis:
July 11-13, 2023🍿 - Email Extravaganza
Building Anticipation: Jones emails Dohoney, picking up where they left off after their undated phone call stating, “Thanks a bunch for chatting.. As discussed,” and proposes two meeting times: Jul 31st & Aug 1st
Rapid Responses: Over the course of 3 hours, 5 emails are exchanged with Dohoney personally organizing the affairs and ready with a team, to meet Jones offsite: “I would do the same for you, but essentially it would be certain members of my team, Destination Ann Arbor (tourism & meeting space), University of Michigan, and County Government. Given the nature of the discussions I’ll likely book a space offsite with easily accessible parking.”
Curious Questions: On July 12, Dohoney asks who represents SI, “Also, can you confirm that Mark & Chris represent SI?” as Jones’s Cobblestone team comprised of himself, his son Da’Mario, and Edena Atmore had been previously listed as the meeting attendees.
Dialed in Dates: In just over 2 days, it was done and dusted. Dohoney reserves an offsite meeting room at The Kensington Hotel, inviting an extensive list of guests, and planning the pre-game with Jones’s Team, “We will have the meeting room beginning at 12 noon. I can meet you there at that time so that the development team can talk with me before guests starts arriving which I would assume to begin around 1:15.”
watch MORE ON: EDENA ATMORE (Apr 20, 2023)AUGUST 1, 2023 @ 12:00 PM🏨 - Kensington Convocation
The Main Event: The first formal meeting unfolds in an offsite location with “accessible parking.”
Arrival Alert: Jones texts Dohoney, "We are here at The Kensington Hotel," marking the beginning of a pivotal chapter. 📱💬
The Guest Quest: The full list of attendees kicking off the Mega Project is: 🛎️ 🛎️ 🛎️
Odis Jones: CEO / Co-Founder
Da’Mario Jones: VP of Land Acquisitions
Derrick Coleman: Co-Developer
Experiential Ventures Hospitality:
Mark Korros: President
Chris Schroeder: CEO
Dev Pathik: Founding Partner of Sports Facility Advisors
Board Member / Partner of Sports Illustrated Resorts
Greg Dill: County Administrator
Milton Dohoney Jr: A2 City Administrator
John Fournier: A2 City Deputy Administrator
Marti Praschan: A2 City CFO
Unable to Attend
Atleen Kaur: A2 City Attorney
Kevin McDonald: A2 City Deputy Attorney
Specializes in Economic Development
Derek Delacourt: A2 City Community Services Area Admin
Leads Community Development
Brett Lenart: A2 City Planning Manager
Mike Kennedy: A2 City Fire Chief
Brian Steglitz: A2 City Public Services Area Admin
Sarah Miller: President / CEO
Mike Price: Chief Sales / Operations Officer
Downtown Development Authority:
Maura Thomson: Director
Economic Development Corporation:
Pete Long: Legal Counsel
Juwan Howard: Head Coach of Men's Basketball Team
Chris Kolb: VP for Government Relations
Mike Rein: Director of Community Relations
Jennifer Olmstead: Director of Business Development
JUL 31, 2023 @ 5:45 PM🍽️ - Gandy Dancer Gastronomy
Strategic Dinner: Dohoney and Jones meet at Gandy Dancer, prepping for the next day's dialogue. The dinner, planned back on July 17, 2023, has been on the books for weeks with Dohoney suggesting the final venue. 🐟 🚉
Informal Yet Crucial Dialogue: This dinner allows for a more personal interaction, setting the stage for mutual understanding before the formal discussions.
MAKE A RESERVATION August 1, 2023
🥣 Stirring the Developer's Plot
After the Kensington Conclave, and its 20+ guests unfold, Derek Delacourt initiates potential collaborations with two local developers right away. He offers to host meetings at City Hall, despite the parties already having projects in motion for their sites:
Email from Delacourt to Di Rita:
Email from Delacourt to Martin:
Texts between Dohoney & Jones:
However, the old Sports Magazine Resort Developer wants what the City has… Public Property and Dohoney’s “Deal”: 🏦
Aug 14, 2023📋 - Planning to Plan to Plan
Meeting Mania: Schedules away as the following meetings are arranged by Jones’s Team and Dohoney’s Team: 🤝
August 21: Meeting per Jones’ request with the City Planning staff and Destination A2. 🐱💻
September 13: Dinner at the Chop House per Dohoney, “I can have dinner with Odis on the 13th. I believe that will just be me and him.” 🥩 🥃
September 14: In person meeting at the Kensington Hotel - Part Deux. This catered lunch meeting to work out terms with attorneys, is to take place from 10 AM to 1:30 PM in the Grande Ballroom - a 5568 square foot space that can host over 500 people. 🏟️ 🛎️
Members Only: As the size of the meeting space increases, so do the number of new attendees. The initial team rosters for the September 14 meeting are:
Team Jones: 🏨 🏈
Odis Jones: CEO / Co-Founder, Cobblestone, Sugarland, TX
Da’Mario Jones: VP of Land Acquisitions, Cobblestone, Sugarland, TX
Derrick Pryor: VP of Credit & Underwriting, Cobblestone, Sugarland, TX
Larry Wiley: Chief Construction Officer, Cobblestone, Sugarland, TX
Blake Bars: Senior Associate, Frost Brown Todd, Nashville, TN
David Rogers: Partner, Frost Brown Todd, Columbus, OH
Mark Korros: President, Experiential Ventures Hospitality, Clearwater, FL
Chris Schroeder: CEO, Experiential Ventures Hospitality, Clearwater, FL
Dev Pathik: Partner & Board Member SI Resorts, Clearwater, FL
Team Dohoney: 🏛️ 📝
Milton Dohoney Jr: A2 City Administrator
John Fournier: A2 City Deputy Administrator
Tentative
Marti Praschan: A2 City CFO
Was unable to attend 1st meeting
Atleen Kaur: A2 City Attorney
Was unable to attend 1st meeting
Derek Delacourt: A2 City Community Services Area Admin
Brett Lenart: A2 City Planning Manager
Additional Legal Counsel To Be Named
Maura Thomson: Director, Downtown Development Authority
Sarah Miller: President / CEO, Destination Ann Arbor
Mike Price: Chief Sales / Operations Officer, Destination Ann Arbor
Pete Long: Legal Council, Economic Development Corporation
AUG 1, 2023 @ 5:11 PM📬💨 - A Faster Follow Up
Rapid Rook Maneuver: Before Derek was able to email the local developers, Dohoney makes his move ♟️ 30 minutes earlier: “I want to set up a virtual meeting with Odis, and Chris so that Derek, Sarah, and Mike can ask their questions. I need to be included in that meeting. I checked with the other folks from our end so this is it for now. It can’t happen this week, but I’m hoping we can all squeeze a bit next week and work it in then. If not sooner rather than later is the goal.” 🥅
Aug 21, 2023⚙️ - “Switching Gears”
”Always thinking ahead”, after posting his roster for the Sept 14 meeting, Dohoney notifies Jones’s Team: “Not for this trip, but a little down the road when the design work is a little more firm, tell Odis that I need he and Chris to come and do two informal briefings in Council Chambers. It would be a slide presentation so that they can see what we are talking about. It’s such a departure from everything we have here I don’t want to wait way down the road when they are asked to vote on something that they’ve never seen before.
We would have to do two briefings because if they were all in one that would be viewed as a public meeting, and have to be on tv…”
AUG 10, 2023💻 - Zooming into the Details
Digital Deep Dive: A virtual Q&A session takes place, providing a platform for folks to ask questions, seek clarifications, and ensure a unified understanding of the project's direction and objectives. 🤔
Excitement After Feasibility: Jones expresses excitement about Ann Arbor's potential post-meeting, “I just got out of a market feasibility meeting! Wow I didn’t know all the exciting stuff that going on there in Ann Arbor just amazed.” 👀
Future Plans & Planes: Jones proposes a September 7th meeting via text and awaits Dohoney's confirmation. 📱💬
It’ll have to wait as Dohoney is in Pheonix again, “I think I’m in Arizona that week. Believe it’s Labor Day week. Ill check.” ✈️
READ THE REPORT: FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS OF A POTENTIAL NEW CONVENTION CENTER IN WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI | FEB 27, 2020Aug 21, 2023 @ 3:00 PM💻 - Zooming in Zen
Virtual Teams Talk: As preparations snowball, more folks enter the fray. Joining Jones, Atmore, Chris and Mark is the Lamar Johnson Collaborative. Together with Dohoney’s Team featuring Destination A2, another Virtual Meeting is held to maintain momentum. 🚀
Finding Focus: This meeting is to understand the structure and timing of the City and County’s regulatory process for incorporation into the project schedule. The group is also asked to differentiate the immediate meeting and conference needs from their long-term aspirations. 🧘
AUG 21-22, 2023☎️ - Dial-A-Dates
Schedule Small Talk: Jones forwards an email message from Mike Emerson of the LJC to Dohoney of requested meeting times and adds, “let’s chat if this makes sense for you?” In the forwarded email itself, Emerson asks Jones for confirmation that the schedule is “correct and complete.”
August 23, 2023
“Our Direction is Taking Shape”
Milton Dohoney
After their chat 📞, an updated schedule appears in Dohoney’s email first thing Monday morning with some new additions: 🎩
Sept 6: Team Charette 🎠
Location: Ann Arbor
LJC to share building massing/plan findings based on A2 meetings for building height and meeting spaces
Prepare as a group for 9/14 and 9/18 meeting
Sept 14: Meeting w/ Milton and Attorneys 💼
Share updated proposed plans to generate feedback - Cobblestone to present proforma
Location: Ann Arbor
Goal to close deal with Milton and Attorneys; Prepare for presentation
Progress of exterior renderings, emote experience of interiors, stacking plan, massing
Sept 18: Meeting with ABG 🏖️
Location: Clearwater
Goal to share proof of concept at Michigan
LJC to fold in Massing, plans, renderings to EVH deck
Sept 20-22: Meetings with A2 & City Staff
To review feedback response
Location: Virtual
Technical follow up meeting with Zoning and destination Ann Arbor to finalize mutual understanding
Sept 25: Ann Arbor City Council 🏛️🖖
Presentation to council in two separate groups to avoid a Public Meeting
Location: Ann Arbor City Hall at 11 am & 1 pm
Attendees: Odis, Chris, Lamar
3D renderings, site, experience renderings of unique Michigan spaces
Oct 16th Week: Ann Arbor City Council 🏛️ 📸
Public presentations, briefings and media
Location: Ann Arbor
Attendees: Odis, Chris, Lamar
3D renderings, site, experience renderings of unique Michigan spaces
“One Way Or Another We Will Work It All Out”
Milton Dohoney
September 6, 2023
“Thanks for the Penera!!” 🍞
[sic] - Odis Jones to Milton Dohoney
🏛️ The City Hall Symposium arrives as quickly as it was planned - although some members of Team Jones were a bit late due to flight delays leaving the Chicago airport.
This event is a double feature: 📽️
📐 A workshop with City Departments in the morning to address various project matters including transportation, engineering, solid waste, and planning, in preparation for the meetings scheduled for Sept 14 & 16. 📋
🍽️ Lunch and a meeting room at City Hall for Team Jones’s Charette - all on A2 Residents’ dime. 🪙
Also on the menu, options to choose for Dohoney & Jones’s “Direction”:
The City Hall Symposium Attendees:
September 6, 2023
Some meeting and dinner invites are missing in the FOIA, but an email from Sara Higgins' shows the Sept 6 attendees list. She notifies parties of a 30-minute delay for the City Hall Basement Conference Room Meeting, due to Lina Chiu and Team Jones's travel delays. 🛫
Team Dohoney: 🏛️ 📝
Milton Dohoney Jr: A2 City Administrator
Not present (at a conference)
Brett Lenart: A2 City Planning Manager
Matthew Kowalski: A2 City Planner
Brian Steglitz: A2 City Public Services Area Administrator
Skye Stewart: A2 City Chief of Staff, Public Services Administration
Troy Baughman: A2 City Senior Project Engineer
Amy Ponsock: A2 City Civil Engineer
Alison Heatley: A2 City Private Development Coordinator, DOM Program Manager
Raymond Hess : A2 City Transportation Manager
Guest Services : A2 City Hall
Sarah Miller: President / CEO, Destination Ann Arbor
Mike Price: Chief Sales / Operations Officer, Destination Ann Arbor
Team Jones: 🏨 🏈
Odis Jones: CEO / Co-Founder, Cobblestone, Sugarland, TX
Da’Mario Jones: VP of Land Acquisitions, Cobblestone, Sugarland, TX
Mark Korros: President, Experiential Ventures Hospitality, Clearwater, FL
Chris Schroeder: CEO, Experiential Ventures Hospitality, Clearwater, FL
Lamar Johnson, FAIA: CEO, Executive Chairman, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Chicago, IL
Mike Emerson, RLA: Principal focusing on Institutional Design Strategies, Capital Planning & Facilities Management Support, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Chicago, IL
Lina Chiu, AIA: Principal, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Chicago, IL
U of M School Bachelor of Science, Architecture
Mind the Gap ⚠️
September 7 to 26 , 2023
Echoing John Lennon's infamous lost weekend, the FOIA document has a three-week void where key events and meetings lack contemporaneous info.
Subsequent remarks by City Hall and Council Members as well as additional FOIAs confirm some happenings; others remain undisclosed.
SEPT 14, 2023🦅 - Talkin’ Terms & Bonds
CONFIRMED!! Meeting with Legal Experts: A gathering with numerous attorneys from both Teams at the Kensington Hotel - Grande Ballroom (5568 ft²), focuses on finalizing legal aspects of the deal, structural debt financing, and preparing for a comprehensive presentation to the City Council, highlighting the project's progression towards official endorsement and public unveiling. 👔 💳
This 3.5 hour catered affair has the following list of attendees:
Milton Dohoney Jr: A2 City Administrator
Marti Praschan: A2 City CFO
Atleen Kaur: A2 City Attorney
Kevin McDonald: A2 City Deputy Attorney
Odis Jones: CEO / Co-Founder, Cobblestone
Da’Mario Jones: VP of Land Acquisitions, Cobblestone
Derrick L. Pryor: VP of Credit / Underwriting, Cobblestone
Brian Patton: Contracts Manager, Cobblestone
Chris Schroeder: CEO / Founder, Sports Illustrated Resorts
Mark Korros: President, Sports Illustrated Resorts
Dev Pathik: Partner / Board Member, Sports Illustrated Resorts
David A Rogers: Partner, Frost Brown Todd Law
Sarah Miller: President / CEO, Destination Ann Arbor
Mike Price: Chief Sales / Operations Officer, Destination Ann Arbor
Unknown Date, Before Sept 14📱💬 - SMS Strategy Sesh
Milton Dohoney: When we meet on the 14th I want to start the meeting with Destination Ann Arbor. They will present on the exact ways they will help to market the meeting space. They will leave right after they answer any questions you all have.
Odis Jones: Awesome!!
SEPT 13, 2023 @ 7:00 PM 🍽️ - Chop House Huddle
Intimate Pre-Meeting Meal: A dinner at the Chop House, involving Dohoney, Jones, and possibly his son Da’Mario Jones, serves as an important opportunity for in-depth discussions and strategy alignment ahead of critical upcoming meetings, while providing a relaxed setting for candid convos. 🕯️🥩
MAKE A RESERVATION SEPT 18, 2023🏖️ - Beachy Brand Confirmation
Brand Barons Summit: An in person meeting in Clearwater, Florida with Authentic Brands Group, owners of the Sports Illustrated™ brand, to share the project's proof of concept for Michigan, integrating detailed plans and renderings, signifies efforts to solidify the project's conceptual foundation and ensure alignment with key stakeholders and partners. 🔑 🚠
SEPT 20-22, 2023🧠 - Municipal Minds Meet
Tech Talks: A virtual meeting with Ann Arbor City Staff to review feedback and finalize mutual understanding regarding zoning and regulatory processes highlights the project's progression into more technical and regulatory phases, ensuring that all aspects of the development comply with city regulations and align with municipal development policies. 💻 📐
SEPT 25, 2023💸 - The Opening Bid
Big Bonds: Identified in the 1/5/24 FOIA, an initial term sheet from Cobblestone and David Rodgers is dated 9/25/23. The Ask from Sports Illustrated Resorts? $300,000,000 in Bonds for their “Non-Profit” 501(c)(3) Hotel, and a “Voluntary Tax Agreement” that would see them pay 100% of school taxes, but only 60% of city taxes with the remaining 40% going to service the Bond Debt. 😵💫
SEPT 25, 2023🤫🚪 - Council’s Confidential Convos
CONFIRMED!! Private Presentations to the Council: Presenting of the the project and “preliminary proposal” by Milton Dohoney, Odis Jones, Chris Schroeder, and Lamar Johnson to the City Council in separate groups, while intentionally avoiding a public meeting, reflects a strategic approach to managing information flow and garnering candid feedback from council members before residents become aware.
As noted above, at least 3D Renderings, Site Massing, and Unique Michigan Spaces were presented 2 separate groups of Council Members in their heavenly chambers:
11:00 AM Invitees: ✅
Mayor Christopher Taylor
CM Cynthia Harrison
CM Jenn Cornell
CM Travis Radina
CM Jen Eyer
1:00 PM Invitees: ✅
Dharma Akmon
Erica Briggs
Lisa Disch
Ayesha Ghazi Edwin
Chris Watson
Extra! Extra! Read All About It! 📰
September 27 to 28, 2023
Just two days after the private meetings with City Council and with terms being negotiated, both Teams are confident to roll out the news in a coordinated effort, and Dohoney's previous email from August 23 is back in play, "If the goal is to make it public that SI is interested in Ann Arbor we need to talk that through. Ann Arbor does not have its own television stations. They are all in Detroit 20 minutes away so “getting the word out” here is a little different animal."
This early outreach to MLive reporter Ryan Stanton, is intended to preempt any potential “leaks," and an attempt to guide the story's presentation in a positive light, considering City Hall's significant yet undisclosed involvement and the private presentation to City Council.
However, this strategy slips when the old Sports Magazine prematurely releases a boilerplate announcement, undercutting the impact of Ryan Stanton’s more thorough reporting. Moreover, the news is boosted on the official City of Ann Arbor social channels and by Dohoney himself:
From: Chris Schroeder
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2023 11:02 AM
To: Ryan Stanton
Subject: SPORTS ILLUSTRATED RESORTS
Ryan,
I was given your contact info to provide some preemptive information regarding Sports Illustrated Resorts interest in Ann Arbor. As you will see if you google Sports Illustrated Resorts Tuscaloosa for example, there is a lot of interest and press coverage when Sports Illustrated announces any destination. Additionally, there always seems to be a leak in information when we are researching a destination. I wanted to get ahead of that and provide you with a statement before anyone else got word out.
Please find my formal statement below. Also, please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Chris Schroeder, CEO Sports Illustrated Resorts
“Sports Illustrated is one of the world’s most iconic brands and Sports Illustrated Resorts is focusing on bringing our unique properties to select university markets that have a strong heritage of excellence. At this time we have already announced a property by University of Alabama campus and with our P3 developer and consultant Cobblestone Development, we are in serious discussions with officials from the City of Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan to evaluate a potential opportunity to include Ann Arbor as a destination. Ann Arbor has become a great destination for locals, visitors and conference attendees that increase hotel stays and improve economic vitality to retailers and restaurants. Sports Illustrated Resorts would be an added attraction that would help drive more visitation, plus we would be focused on including a significant conference facility that would allow Ann Arbor to compete with other cities that have more conference capabilities. This we believe would provide a very positive direct and indirect economic impact to the city and we are commissioning an analysis collaboratively with Destination Ann Arbor to collect additional data on such an impact, and once completed we will provide further details. “
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Best,
Chris Schroeder
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Dohoney then provides Jones and Schroeder even more suggestions for their PR push:
Sept 28, at 3:35 PM: “There has been a lot of reaction/attention to the initial announcement. Local press here is initially positive. Given the vast importance of transparency, and it’s impact on influencing narratives about what’s going on I am suggesting that you consider another release within a week or so. I would consider doing a release that’s focused on the project team from your end. I would have a photo of the two of you pointing out your local ties Chris, and a blurb about Cobblestone. I would further suggest a photo of Chris and his representation of the Cherokee nation. In addition, if Lina is going to be the project architect lead I’d show her photo too pointing out her Ann Arbor roots. That kind of release moves a focus from big building only, to providing a glimpse into who is proposing to do the project.”
“At this point, we’re in discussions, there is no deal yet and the resort company is still doing its due diligence and gathering information. They’re looking for college towns, college cities, to place these hotels. When they choose a city, they choose a city that’s got a prominent university, and so the sports theme here obviously would be around the University of Michigan.
”
SOURCE: MLIVE - 9/28/2023“If talks with Sports Illustrated Resorts get to a point where there’s a proposal to take to City Council, that would follow the normal approval process like any other deal, Dohoney said. ‘But we’re not there yet,’ he said.
At this point, Dohoney said he doesn’t have any information to share about how much money the city might get for the land, exactly how tall the building would be or how big of an investment it would represent.
”
SOURCE: MLIVE - 9/28/2023“That’s great we will get on it” 🤗
Odis Jones’ Response to Dohoney
oct 2, 2023🧀 - Big Bond’in, Structur’in Cheese
Do the Doodle: With the PR wind in their sales, Team Dohoney seizes the momentum for more and more meetings. Up next, is a 90 minute virtual or in-person gathering with attorneys and the addition of Joe Fazio. Higgins sends a Doodle Poll and asks Jones and Schroeder to, “please share with David Rogers and anyone else on your team that I may have missed.”
———“Joe helped a client obtain approval of a site plan for a 10-story student housing project in the face of significant community opposition. In a stunning reversal of fortune, the city council unanimously approved the project after it had been unanimously rejected by the city planning commission.” 😵💫
more on: Joe Fazio ———“David represents and advises issuers and bankers in transactions using securitizations and derivatives to enhance, market and remarket municipal bond issues. His P3 experience includes representing both public asset owners and private lessee concessionaires in both public-private partnerships and so-called public-public partnerships. His substantive expertise is concentrated in the areas of bond law, securities law, and public debt federal and state tax matters.” 🔗 💸
more on: David rogersWait. A Council Vote!!
OCT 10, 2023🚗 🚚 🚌💨 - Zoom for Zooms
Parking Priorities: Accessible by two already calmed streets, Dohoney, Jones, and Schroeder have a virtual meeting with Maura Thompson from the Downtown Development Authority to discuss Hotel Parking. In an email the day before the call, Dohoney also offers up some sage advice:
“Given the unique nature of this project it is my advice that you do more than the minimum. Maura’s office can facilitate reaching out to a broader downtown set of stakeholders than the ones our process requires. Having Lina there to lead a process where you do a lot of listening to folks about design ideas, or whatever thoughts you have will go a long way to build support.”🚦🚏🚸
more on: a2DDAoct 11, 2023 at 11:00 AM💻 - Bond Banter Brainstorm
Not So Grande Finale: The last meeting identified in the original 10/30/23 FOIA document and as set by Higgins’ Doodle Pool. This 90-minute virtual affair has the following list of attendees that are confirmed in the 12/05/23 FOIA:
Milton Dohoney Jr: A2 City Administrator
Marti Praschan: A2 City CFO
Atleen Kaur: A2 City Attorney
Kevin McDonald: A2 City Deputy Attorney
Peter A. Long: EDC of A2 Counsel
Odis Jones: CEO / Co-Founder, Cobblestone
Derrick L. Pryor: VP of Credit / Underwriting, Cobblestone
Chris Schroeder: CEO / Founder, Sports Illustrated Resorts
David A Rogers: Partner, Frost Brown Todd Law
Joe Fazio: Principal, Miller Canfield
Transparency Time… 😮💨
10/16/23 - Resolution to Inform Next Steps Regarding the City Property Located at Ashley and William
City Council Votes 🗳️
DC-8 FAILS:
3 👍 to 8 👎
Or Not… 🫨
97 days into the Dohoney-Jones “Direction,” and 18 days after residents were notified via a vague press article about “serious negotiations,” Council Members Travis Radina, Erica Briggs, and Jen Eyer added resolution DC-8 to the agenda an hour before the meeting and AFTER public comment sign up was closed. The vote, that asked City Administer to write a memo to Council about his recommended path forward, failed to pass with a super major voting no.
A variety of rationale was given by those who voted no such as:
“Anyone with an alternative proposal may engage on exactly the same basis as SI is presently engaging” -Mayor Taylor
“We have no proposal, despite being one being mentioned in a Whereas clause.” -CM Jenn Cornell
“The public knows as much as council and city staff about what SI is envisioning for the site.” -CM Jenn Cornell
“I also will be voting no on the resolution but I thank the sponsors for bringing it. I’m voting no, because I want to reserve judgment about the possible development of a sports themed conference center on the Kline’s Lot until I've seen the terms of that development proposal. As Council Member Cornell said, so nicely put it. There's no proposal yet… I am excited enough about this proposal that I'd like us to move forward. I'd like us not to stop.” -CM Lisa Disch
“I love the discussion as to whether we're a city of nerds or are a city of jocks… But at this point I just see some press releases from SI messages and meetings from with Mr. Dohoney in alerting us to every step that every communication he's received.” -CM Linh Song
“I think we are all about transparency. We're all about process. And although I appreciate that, you know, I'll say that I don't really appreciate that it was brought at the 11th hour… I will be voting no tonight on implementing this process. At what I feel like is a last minute.” -Ayesha Ghazi Edwin
“I want to echo a lot of what my colleagues have said about needing more information and wanting to understand the terms of a deal that staff would bring to us before making a decision. So. So I will be voting no on this resolution.” -CM Chris Watson
What the resolution didn’t mean was made clear by all Council Members:
“it's definitely not a rebuke of Administrator Dohoney. It's clear from his recent performance review that Council believes he's doing an outstanding job and that we have great faith in his leadership.” -CM Erica Briggs
What is a FOIA?
A Freedom of Information Act document is a public disclosure of information which improves government oversight and accountability. It ensures that the public is fully informed about government activities. The FOIA document from the City of Ann Arbor is 981 pages and contains threaded email conversations, redundant information, gaps in time, missing information, and is out of chronological order.
To make the document more accessible and user friendly, this site has been created to reorganize, format, de-thread, and lower the context with the addition of milestone events. Also incorporated are notable public documents, news articles, animated graphics, bold text, and emojis for emphasis. 🌳🎉
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You can download the original 981 page FOIA from October 30, 2023 by: clicking here
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Yes! Download:
FOIA 2250 here
FOIA 2280 here
FOIA 2230 here
FOIA 2377 here -
You can request your own FOIA from the City of Ann Arbor by: clicking here
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You can see them on the City of Ann Arbor website by: clicking here
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Expenses are made publicly available on the City of Ann Arbor’s OpenBook page
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The State of Michigan has information available here